The strongest aspect of the film is the humane element it manages to capture and utilise not only for the benefit of a pleasurable viewing experience of the audience, but more importantly, also for serving a social purpose. It thus succeeds at doing its bit to work towards normalising identities of those living with a disability, enhanced further by a skilled performance of the protagonist. The story is of selfie attempts of a young girl, aided by her family. A perfectly normal experience, it is also portrayed as one without giving in to sentimentalism or maudlin developments at the expense of the quality of the plot and its execution. Finally, Anokhee concludes with a reminder and a request to endeavour to help someone in need with perhaps a little effort on the part of the viewer.

Anokhee | Short Film of the Day

The film adopts the exactly appropriate pace to develop and reveal it's wonderfully crafted premise, while dealing with the concerns of a household battling problems several will relate to during a lockdown. It opens with a tight visual of a pair of hands, and grains of dal that are spread before them. Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai allows the viewer only the information that is needed, withholding everything else from them. Consequently, this enables the narrative to succeed at communicating its message in a skilled manner, marked by brevity and crispness. The film is subtle in the comment it wants to make. Without explicitly ruffling any feathers, it manages to portray the futile measures of a country and society ill-equipped to tackle something as humungous in proportion as a pandemic.

Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai | Short Film of the Day

The film does a notable job of conjuring an environment of tension right from the word go, involving the viewer deeper and deeper as events begin in unfold in the protagonist's life. When a blind woman finds herself locked inside a house in an empty building, things go downhill at a breakneck speed. Unable to reach out to anyone for help, her fate of entrapment only offers an imminent bleak turn of events to the audience. While the handling of the subject matter exhibits potential, along with a skilled performance by the protagonist, there are a few questions inherent to the narrative whose answers are never provided. For instance why do neighbours, whose manner of addressing suggest intimacy, all empty the building without checking on their blind neighbour who lives by herself, how come days pass by without a concerned friend, albeit in a different city, finding some way to follow up on her, especially when he had last spoken to her in a moment of crisis? The premise also loses point for uniqueness since the subject matter has already found access in mainstream Bollywood. The freshness of it all could have come forth in the execution and portrayal which indeed comes across as a zealous effort, irrespective of the aforementioned concerns.

Ekaki | Short Film Nominee

The ad film is a simple reminder for the viewer to share a little of what they have with someone who might not possess the same. The idea is to inspire them to pledge their eyes so that one day they may be of help to another person in need. This premise is realised by weaving together responses of several people from different walks of life. What the film succeeds in achieving is the variety of inputs from across the spectrum in terms of gender, age groups, nationalities, and cultural and social locations. It is simple and direct in sharing its intentions with the viewer, leaving them with a positive message about their duty and responsibility towards society. This is further coupled with a glimpse of people's understanding of the darkness that accompanies night, also echoing a sighted person's comprehension of the reality of someone leading their life without the sense of vision.

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